♥

I'm excited about some projects I'm just starting to work on. However, something's gotta give and it's going to have to be my blog. I want to be able to devote my attention to my business and passion projects. :) I do want to continue sharing my collection of antique photos though and will figure out a way to do that. I have loved and appreciated those who have followed me along on my journey. And I will continue to check in with the blogs and people who have come to mean so much to me.

I will still be doing some work behind the scenes (and an occasional post) over at Beyond Little House and am starting a blog/website for our business (a very rough work in progress!). Plus, there are a couple of other projects that I've been wanting to start. 

And who knows ... maybe I'll be back.

 I love you all...

Simple Sunday

Blessings...

Duker-day ... this and that

Duke here.

Sosha came over yesterday and hasn't gone home yet. Things change when she's here.

She was sick and now has to eat special food. That means my mom and dad can't give her treats of any kind. That means that I can't get treats of any kind either. Seriously.

The family is throwing a Halloween party over at my brother's house. Apparently Sosha and I are not invited.

My mom complained that when my sister dropped Sosha off on her way to work yesterday and we were still all in bed, I never got up to see why the driveway alarm went off and I didn't bother to go see who came in the house. Well, it's because I knew who it was. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. If Mom and Dad can sleep in, then so can I. Even though my mom said she slept in because she didn't fall sound asleep till about 6am and we know that if my mom sleeps in then my dad will sleep in too.

Yesterday morning it started raining so my mom went to the door to let us in. She couldn't find us.

We were already in the house. Hahahahahaha! Joke was on her!

My sister (and Sosha) stayed here last weekend because Mom and Dad went away to a meeting. My mom made the extra bedroom into a guest room with two twin beds. Apparently Sosha thinks one of them is hers.

That's the bed her mom sleeps in if she stays here anyhow.

Me? I just sleep on my own bed. On the hard floor.

Love...

Just wanted to share a couple of things (if you're my facebook friend you've already seen them).

My favorite wedding picture.

Our song.
We had been dating a while and had fallen in love (or did we love each other from the start?). We were on a double date, riding home in the back seat and talking quietly, just the two of us. We decided that we need a song. "What song should be ours?" And this started playing on the radio. We liked the lyrics and it became our song.

So ... Happy 27th Anniversary, Jim. I love you more than life itself.

The past week in quick review...

Haven't had a lot going on lately, yet we've been busy. Does this mean we lead incredibly boring lives? Well, I'm okay with that.

Jim and I had a meeting (actually a couple of meetings) on Saturday in northern Michigan. Since we had to be there at 8:30am and it's about a five hour drive, we left Friday afternoon and spent the night before up there. The meetings finished a little earlier than anticipated. That's always a good thing. Don't you find that you're more exhausted sitting in meetings, or trainings, or a boring conference all day than if you worked or were doing something that allowed you to move around? Yep, us too.

Our meeting was at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City.
My friend Dawn showed me this display.
It is all made of sugar. Way cool.

So, we started heading home. We were both tired though and had bad headaches so decided to stop for the night. Okay...maybe we wanted to stop at a couple of antique stores on Sunday. :) We were lucky to find a cheap, but clean motel. Since we were in the Birch Run area, we breakfasted at Tony's. Have I told you about Tony's? I didn't take a picture of our meals (mine was actually more normal sized), but the portions are huge and that's what they're famous for. It's impossible to finish your meal. Our leftovers were Duke's treat when we got home.



For the record, I had only eggs and toast. Jim had eggs, potatoes, sausage, and toast. The white box that we brought home was full with our leftovers. Some may call it a waste, but it's what Tony's is famous for.

We visited some nice antique stores and I seem to have now started collecting advertising trade cards. More on that another time.

So, let's fast forward to Tuesday. I had an appointment to have a root canal. Oh goody. My advice is to never postpone going to the dentist because you don't have dental coverage and don't want to spend the money. It costs more in the long run. Two cavities and a root canal.

My regular dentist decided to refer me to an endodontist. It appears I had a curved root. Go figure.  I was only nervous because my jaw hurt from the dentist appointment a week earlier. I figure if I'm numbed up, I'm okay. He numbed me up really good then told me that if I felt any pain at all to raise my left hand right away. He started drilling and I started feeling pain. I thought to myself, "It's okay. Tough is out. It can't be that bad." Then I quickly decided that it was not okay and I raised my hand. The dentist injected right at the base of my tooth. Waited for that to kick in and started again. The second time, I didn't need to raise my left hand as I nearly jumped out of the chair when he hit the nerve. He had to then give me a shot right in the nerve. He said, "It'll be intense for about 10 seconds." It was intense for longer than 10 seconds, but it did do the trick. I'm tough, I really am. This was just not fun! I have a high tolerance for pain, but this root canal broke me. I filled the prescription for Motrin and Tylenol 3 that he gave me, came home, took a Motrin, crawled into bed and slept for two hours. Today I am sore, but so much better. I go back in three weeks to finish. He didn't want to put me through the whole kabang in one shot, although he did say the worst is done. For that I am grateful!

For the rest of the week, we will be busy getting ready to help throw a Halloween bash at our son's house. It'll be fun. Just hope the weather is as nice as today was. Remind me to take some pictures!

Also, a big thank you to Delores at thefeatherednest! I won her Halloween giveaway and was thrilled to receive the package. I will share photos when I share the photos from the party as I'm loaning them as decorations. They WILL come back to my house though!!

Poetry on Wednesday

Home Is Where There Is One To Love Us

Home's not merely four square walls,
Though with pictures hung and gilded;

Home is where Affection calls -

Filled with shrines the Hearth had builded!
Home! Go watch the faithful dove,

Sailing 'neath the heaven above us.

Home is where there's one to love!

Home is where there's one to love us.

Home's not merely roof and room,

It needs something to endear it;

Home is where the heart can bloom,

Where there's some kind lip to cheer it!

What is home with none to meet,

None to welcome, not to greet us?

Home is sweet, and only sweet,

Where there's one we love to meet us!

                                              ~Charles Swain

My childhood home. And my mom who made it Home for us.

Monday Musings

Thirty years ago tonight (a Friday in 1982), I was sitting on my friend Renee's couch with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of wine in the other waiting for her boyfriend Fritz's friend to arrive. A blind date. She had been trying to set us up for a few months and finally, after an especially difficult time in my life, I agreed. I needed some fun. I told her to make sure he knew that I wasn't interested in a relationship, just to go out and have fun. And we did. We went out for fish and chips (a staple for Jim as I would find out) and went with friends to see a band and have a couple of drinks and dance and just have a good time.

And while we were slow dancing during a fast song, we shared our first kiss.

And my life was forever changed.

December 1982

July 2012

His kisses still wow me.

Blessings...

Simple Sunday

As time goes on, I must be choosier about what I'm searching for.
I'm still collecting mostly baby and children, but I'm looking more closely
about what else is in the picture.
Like this one.

If you can translate what this says,
I would greatly appreciate it!

Blessings...

Duker-day ... And Nothing Much

There really isn't much going on lately. Eating, playing blue ball, going for rides. Same old thing.

I'm just hanging out with my mom today. Dad's drilling a well and Mom's doing work around the house.

Maybe I'll take a nap.

See ya next week!

Musings on Monday

I don't have too many thoughts going through my mind today. But something nifty happened earlier today ---

Jim called me while he was out and about on some service calls (or so I thought) this morning. He wondered if I could round up some cash and told me that he'd pick me up in a couple of minutes. I obeyed like an obedient wife (just kidding, just kidding!). I thought that he must have found something that he thought one of the kids needed for their house.

But nope, it was for me.

A little background story --
Jim has a slight addiction to bins. There's a factory a couple of miles from our place that puts out for sale pallets of bins all bundled up. Jim has nabbed some up on three other occasions. He's been on an organizing kick lately. The bins will be great for storing all of the many fittings and other littles that he has to keep organized in his shop. Last Friday, he noticed that they had another pallet of bins out. He was on his way to drill and couldn't stop so he called and asked me to go buy them and he would pick them up later. I wasn't feeling well so never made it over there. I felt bad that he would miss out. The bins seem to thrill him.

Two of his pallets of bins. You'll notice in the background that there's another pallet.
Apparently, he's already put one bundle of them to use. A winter project for sure - the organizing.

So this morning he was driving by the factory again and they had bins out by the road again so he stopped to buy them. That's when he noticed it and looked at it and decided to call me so that I could go look at it. He wasn't sure if I would like it, especially considering it's color.

Are you kidding? I loved it. Especially the color. The price was great and it became mine ... an early birthday present.

Isn't it beautiful? A baby blue Kalamazoo Cook Stove from 1935.
We never buy anything without knowing where it will go.
Till now.
We have no idea where we'll put it, but we will find a place!

That man ... he knows me.

Love,

Simple Sunday

This photo was taken in Detroit, MI (can't quite make out the photographer)
Look how the baby is holding onto the palm plant.
That impish smile! What a cutie!

Sunday Blessings to you all...

Duker-day...For real!

Guess who is celebrating their sixth birthday today? 

Yep, you guessed it.

And I'd like to give a Happy Birthday shout-out to my brother Toby!

Poetry on Wednesday

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I---
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
                                    ~Robert Frost

Go make it a wondrous day!

My Monday Musings

Remember when Jim and I took a trip to Nashville to see the taping of Pa's Fiddle, a tribute to Charles (Pa) Ingalls and the music of the Little House books? I wrote about it over at Beyond Little House.

I wanted to make sure that I would be watching it on my PBS station so I contacted them. I was told (in an email) that I would be contacted when they found out when it was scheduled. I guess I was told a little white lie. It wasn't scheduled and I didn't find out until the June schedule was coming out. I couldn't find Pa's Fiddle listed anywhere. I don't think they ever did plan to schedule it. I was sure that a PBS station based out of a big city like Detroit, which covered such a large viewing area, would surely be airing this wonderful special.

And I let them know how disappointed I was. I told them that it wasn't just about the Little House, it was about music and history and America. I may have emailed a couple of times (and made a phone call too). When I got over the initial heartbreak over not being able to see it on my PBS station, I urged them to consider airing it at a later pledge drive. I don't think it will happen.

At some point in this process I received an email from another person at the PBS station. He wanted to assure me that they do appreciate my support and offered (as a way of making it up to me) the Pa's Fiddle dvd and cd. I was impressed by this offer and thought that they were indeed trying to make amends. I heartily thanked him via email. And waited.

In the mean time, I had already pledged to another PBS station that was airing the Pa's Fiddle special so that I could show my support to them and receive the complete Pa's Fiddle package that was offered (I had been saving my pennies!). A woman from this station called to thank me and ask what my favorite programming was. I explained that I'm not even able to watch their station (it's three hours across the state) and she was intrigued by my story. When I received the thank you package I was pretty thrilled to finally watch what Jim and I had been able to be involved in that night in January in Nashville. It was also shown at LauraPalooza this past summer. And by the time we left LauraPalooza, Jamie told me that she wanted my Pa's Fiddle dvd and cd when it came ... since I already had mine and she was, you know, catching the Laura-bug. :)

And I half expected the promised dvd and cd to be waiting for me when we came home from our trip this summer. It hadn't. I started to think that my PBS station had once again led me on (probably to get me off their back) and that I wouldn't ever see it. It wasn't a huge deal. I mean, they had told me that they would send it as a courtesy. I hadn't made a pledge after all. But then a little part of me kept thinking that they had made the offer and then just forgot about it. A little disappointing. But still, maybe it would be coming.

As the summer drew to a close, I knew that it would never show up in my mailbox and I was annoyed. And I decided to shoot a quick email off just letting this fella who made the promise that - "Hey, I don't want to sound selfish, but if you weren't going to send it then why make the offer?" I received a response within a couple of hours promising to check into it. The very next day I got an email from someone else who told me that the package had been mailed out in June and that they would reorder. I was pleased with the response, but still felt a little strange complaining about it in the first place.

A couple of days ago when I went to get the mail, I found a package from PBS. And when I opened it, I was floored to find this:

It's the whole Pa's Fiddle package. The same one I paid top dollar for through the other PBS station.
Wow!

I'm not sure what prompted them to send the top package, but I will be making my pledge to my own PBS station now! Even though I'm still disappointed that they never aired Pa's Fiddle and probably never will...

Just another Monday...

Simple Sunday

The back says - Mrs. Kate Shafer
She came home with me because she was local, the photographer being Stevens out of Richmond, Mich.

Enjoy the simple pleasures of the day...

Duker-day

Duke here.

Autumn is here.

Can this be far behind?

The F-word

The dreaded F-word.

My daughter, Jamie, was an only child until she was 8 1/2 years old, thereby missing all of the sister-sister or brother-sister interaction that occurs only in closer age siblings.

She did get to experience some lovely sister-brother interaction later on, especially while babysitting. But that's another story for another time.

I'm not sure how old Jamie was, but we were still living at our last house (over 20 years ago) where Jamie was more apt to have playmates whose homes she could walk to safely down our dirt road. And so, on this particular day, she went down the road to play with two sisters, Melissa and Marcie. In age, I believe Jamie falls right between the two girls.

When Jamie returned home, she had something on her mind:
"Momma, Marcie called Melissa a Fartface. Is that the F-word?"

Well, I did everything I could not to laugh at what was quite a serious question. I must not have been ready to explain the f-word to my young daughter. And, besides, she was quite happy with my response:

"Yes, it is and I never want to hear you say it either!"

You know what? I can honestly say that I've never heard my daughter call anyone a Fartface!"

Enjoy your Friday!

Poetry on Wednesday

Okay. This isn't poetry. But it's on my mind.

My mom loved to sing. That's one of my fondest memories of her. The song that we all most associate with her is "You Are My Sunshine". She sang that to each and every grandchild. And most of the greats too.

But there's another song that I remember and I wonder if Jamie will remember too. Jamie and I lived for three years with my parents and sometimes, on a lazy day, she would sing this to Jamie...


Now it never occurred to me to look for it. Maybe I thought she made it up, I don't know. But today I was remembering and I googled and found it. It was recorded in 1933, the year my mom was born.

Memories...

My Monday Musings

Monday already?

~We got an early start to our day yesterday when our phone rang at 4am. Our daughter had been having chest pains all night and they weren't getting any better. Jim and I threw some clothes on, picked her up, and took her to the ER. After more than 3 hours and several tests to rule out heart or lung problems, they decided it was something she ate. What a relief! But since being diagnosed with multiple food allergies earlier this year and having surgery for the hiatal hernia, she has to be ever cautious about what she eats. Not an easy task...

 ~It's annoying when you unload your groceries only to find out the mascara you bought is missing. Self checkout. My own fault.

~The weather has been lovely in my neck of the woods. We are enjoying and taking advantage because we know that this will not last!

This is at Bronner's. Just thought I'd share. :)

~I have a whole list of things to do this winter and want to get started. When Jamie moved out, she left some things that she wouldn't be needing. It was fine with me, but then I decided that I want to put things in order in my little house so I packed up what was left. I think it was more than what we thought and we haven't had time to haul it all to Jamie's house. We've decided to store it in the garage for now. First on my to-do list - having our furniture and carpets professionally cleaned. I have my own carpet cleaner, but like to have it done professionally every couple of years. What better time than after we've downgraded from three animals to one and want to make the now spare bedroom into a guest room?

~I've been in a funk lately. Maybe it's the changes lately, but I just feel as if I haven't accomplished enough in my simple little life. I spent my 20s, 30s, and a good deal of my 40s raising my kids and that was an accomplishment in itself. I wouldn't change what I did, but I pretty much gave up my hobbies and it's been so hard to try to pick them back up. I just need a good kick in the pants, I guess.

~And then there are some days that I get so much done and days like today that I just can't get started. Monday. Enjoy what's left of it.

Simple Sunday

Whose idea was it to make these brothers hold hands?
A picture postcard with no identifying information except
Cartolina Postale
Carte Postale
"Ubermor"
Italian maybe?

It's been a long day so...
better late than never...

Duker-day ... and the doctor's office

Duke here.

Life goes on as happy as can be. I get almost all the regular pettings, scratchings, and belly rubs that I desire. I get food. I get snacks. I get car rides. I'm treated pretty darn good.

And then one day I hear my mom say to my dad, "I felt a lump on Duke's tummy." They talked about what-ifs and what-it-could-bes. And then I heard my Dad say, "Well, maybe you should take him to the see the vet."

I was pretty sure I knew what the vet is. I know the vet isn't a place, but when they talk about a vet they take me to a different place. A place where other animals are and everyone that I see there really seems to like me. I've been going there longer than I can remember, I know that for sure. I know that the vet is really a person, a man named Dr. Saunders. I like him. He gets down on the floor with me and scratches my tummy. The one thing I don't like lately is that every time we see him, he does tell my mom and dad that I must be eating too much. I wish he'd quit doing that.

And so on Monday, I went to the place where the vet is. I was a little nervous. I don't know why though, but my mom was a little nervous too. I get a little excited too so my dad always comes on these visits. My mom used to take me by herself when I was younger, but she says I almost dislocated her shoulder once pulling on the leash. I'm not sure what that means, but if it's bad I really didn't mean it!

So, being nervous and all those different smells, I forgot myself and, umm, peed against the seats in the waiting room. I felt a little bad about that and my mom apologized like a gazillion times, but the lady behind the desk told my mom and dad that it happens a lot there.

They were really busy that day and Doctor was talking to a lady in the waiting room while we were waiting. When he was done, he said since the girls were busy he would take me back. First we stopped at the dreaded scale and one of the ladies in back stepped in to help then. I guess I'm supposed to stop when I'm on the scale, but it's kind of fun to walk on and off over and over. But my mom tells me, "Sit Duke!" and so I do. My mom didn't realize until we got back home, but I lost over two pounds since my last visit. I mean, every little bit counts, right?

So, Doctor talks to my mom and dad and feels my tummy. Then he tells them about things that could be done since it (the lump) was a little bit of a concern. And then he talked a lot of gumblety that I didn't understand. But he and my parents decided what they would do and the doctor and the lady took me away from my parents. I was excited and nervous, but they are so nice there that it makes me feel better. I'm not sure what all they did, but it involved a needle and looking at something.

Doctor came back and said that everything looked good (which means they don't have to do the other things that they talked about). Phew! I know my mom felt better after that!

And then he told us not to stop at McDonald's and get me a cheeseburger on the way home. Spoilsport.

The Song Remains The Same

Same song. Same guy. Just. That. Wow. Different.





Youtube. A strange and addictive site sometimes. I was searching for something totally different and the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss version of "Black Dog" comes up. I enjoyed when Robert Plant and Alison Krauss got together. I even have the cd, Raising Sand. So I clicked into the above video and it took me a good minute to realize what song they were singing. 

Enjoy your Friday!

Poetry on Wednesday

LIFTING AND LEANING

There are two kinds of people on earth today,

Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.

Not the good and the bad, 'tis well understood

The good are half bad and the bad are half good.

Not the rich and the poor, for to count a man's wealth
You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

Not the humble and proud, for in life's busy span
Who puts on vain airs in not counted a man.

No! the two kinds of people on earth I mean
Are the people who lift and the people who lean.

Wherever you go you will find the world's masses
Are ever divided in just these two classes.

And, strangely enough, you will find, too, I ween,
There is only one lifter to twenty who lean.

In which class are you? Are you easing the load
Of overtaxed lifters who toil down the road?

Or are you a leaner who lets others bear

Your portion of worry and labor and care?

                                                  ~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

My Boy Scout

I once vowed (to myself) to try really hard not to post twice on one day ... but here we are. I have things to do, a house half dusted and bookwork to finish, but I find myself thinking about my son and my country and I had to share a little bit more.

In September 2001, my son was 12 and was an active Boy Scout, had been on his first high adventure, had served a week as a Mackinac Island Honor Scout, and had been to the National Boy Scout Jamboree all during the summer months that year.

BOY SCOUT OATH:
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

Jon took the Boy Scout Oath, Law, Motto, and Slogan very seriously, which is why it was so important to fly that American flag during the weeks after September 11. And it's still why he notices our flag when he drives by our house on his way home from work.

And it was his group of scouts whose idea it was to make sure that there was a flag raised and lowered during campouts out in our woods by the lodge and camp where Boy and Cub Scouts still camp today.

Jon went on to continue to be active in scouts and became an Eagle Scout. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.

In his senior year of high school, Jon very seriously considered joining the United States Army. The thought scared me beyond belief. As fate would have it, Jon's life took a different path, but he is no less loyal to what his country stands for. And for that, I am proud.

One last thing. Jon, who loves that hard, head-banging rock that I just can't listen to, for a short time loved country music (though he will barely admit it now!).

And this is what started it:

We Must Not Forget

This video was shared this morning and I started watching it. And I started crying. I thought about stopping the video because it was just too painful; the memories of that day just became too raw. But I kept watching because ... we can't forget. We must not forget. It shouldn't become just a dim memory to us. Watching this should bring back all of the pain we felt that day as we realized what was happening.

So skip watching the video if you must. If you're anything like me, it will make you cry.




My son texted me last night to remind me to put our flag at half-staff for today. You know, sometimes you don't realize just what's on a person's mind. We know that Jon is preoccupied with girlfriend, work, friends, house, socializing, but we forget that being a proud American and showing that respect has always been important to him. On September 11, 2001 when he came home from school and found out the full extent of what had happened, he insisted on one thing ... We already had our American flag flying proud. He thought everyone needed to be flying their flag. What he decided that we had to do was to go buy another American flag and he and his dad went to my mother's place and mounted it by her door. She didn't have a flag, he knew it, and he thought that she must fly one.

Is your American flag flying proudly?

My Monday Musings

I haven't had musings in a while. ☺

We don't have cable. Air conditioning either. The other night I even said to Jim that it seems silly to run the dishwasher with just the two of us. This almost makes us sound backward.
I don't care. I'm a simple gal.

Jim getting things ready to take down the old antenna and put up the new.
Wouldn't you be nervous if you were me??
I can't climb that tower, but I stayed outside every time he did.

 Speaking of no cable. Our antenna tv coverage has been horrible this summer. To the point where we watch the local morning news and, even though I sometimes leave the tv on during the day for noise (although silence is real nice sometimes!), most of the stations putter out in the afternoon and evening. We just weren't watching much tv in the evening. Mostly Netflix, if at all. No tv is not a bad thing, but there are some things we like to watch (I love PBS!). So, we bought a new antenna and cable, a booster and rotater. The works. Hey, we don't spend money on cable so figured we'd flip for the new stuff. Our antenna is mounted on top of a windmill tower (that's where it was when we bought the place) and that seemed a good place for it to stay put. Jim had a lot of prep work to do and YIKES that was stressful. For me! The worst was when he was finally ready to take the antenna up. He climbed 35 feet with the antenna (about 10 feet by 4 feet) on a 3 foot pole. Talk about panic (ME). I was so relieved when he got it up there and mounted. I kept saying, "Please let's call Jon (our son) and have him come help!" Jim would reply, "He can't really help me carry it up." He was right, but it was definitely not a one-man-climb-a-tower-toting-antenna kind of job. And it will not happen again! He even admitted that when he was done. But all's well that ends well. Our stations all come in (plus a couple extra) and so crisp and clear. I WAS ABLE TO WATCH PBS LAST NIGHT!

Our new antenna.
Jim toted that thing all the way up there and installed it BY HIMSELF!
I took no pictures of him doing the actual carrying up and installing because I was too busy having a panic attack.

I've started letting our chickens free range. Not every day and not when Sosha is coming (I think the two dogs together might not be good for the chickens). They love it. They wander all over the place. They're not very smart though. Sometimes they get on the other side of a fence and can't figure out how to get back. I usually know where to look for them if I haven't seen them in a while. When they see me, they run to greet me (I'd be more flattered, but I know they're looking for food) and sometimes they follow me around. I feel like such a mother hen! And they head back at bedtime to their cozy little henhouse.

The girls enjoying the freedom of the yard.

Jim and I have been over two weeks on our own and have survived it so far. House seems quieter, neater, emptier. Not so much from Jamie moving, as from Sosha and Ricky. Going from two dogs and a cat down to one dog makes a huge difference in the fur factor. And my allergies. Sosha had a little trouble at first, but seems to do okay when her mom's at work as long as she can't get upstairs to the bedrooms. We kinda miss them, but it's okay. Everyone is close by. On to a whole new chapter!

And we had a little scare with Duke. It all turned out okay, but I'll let him talk about it on Duker-day.